every night suppers for everyday people

04/14/2014

Since "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" and a garburator is really just a disposal, then it stands to reason that "wet burritos" and enchiladas are identical twins - at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

As you know by now I'm always on the look out for something new and when I came across this recipe on food.com I figured I absolutely had to give it a try. Spiced up ground beef cooked up with garlic and onions layered on a flour tortilla with refried beans and cheese then rolled and baked in a casserole slathered in sauce and topped with more grated cheese kind of sounds like enchiladas wouldn't you think?

The difference here is the sauce is made from prepared beef gravy combined with enchilada sauce and diced tomatoes. Hey, I make no apologies for using Heinz beef gravy, Old El Paso enchilada sauce and Fred Meyer's brand of diced tomatoes because while I could have scratch made the whole shebang, JBug's Kitchen is all about every day never mind 3 solid days of being a non-union construction worker installing cedar shakes on the house with a big guy as boss means I'm all about convenience at the moment....and yes, I did say Big Guy was boss. Hey, I have to let him think he is every once in a blue moon.

Anyway, give these burritos a try and let me know what you think. We thought they were delicious. Let's hope we still think they are because the leftovers are on the menu for dinner tonight. Hit the link and it'll take you right to the recipe. I changed not one thing except that in our case the recipe made 6 burritos not 4. Thank goodness because this peon doesn't feel like cooking.

04/12/2014

Now fess up. Bet you were wondering when I was going to post a sweet treat for the week now weren't you.

We've been busy the last couple of days installing all those cedar shakes I stained last fall. The good news is we're almost done. The bad news is by almost done I mean we're almost done installing all the shakes I had stained. There's still 3 sides of the house left to do and I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever get finished. Are you laughing yet?

Anyway since we're expending all this energy I figured the least I could do was make something decadent to have with our afternoon tea break. I combined 2 recipes - the crust from my favorite lemon bar recipe and the filling for a shredded apple pie to come up with these rather fabulous moist and yummy cinnamon flavored apple bars. Hey, I could have made an apple pie but I only had 2 apples AND I didn't feel like fiddling with pastry making. Just being honest here.

I don't know about you but I need ice cream with any apple goodness so I put my thinking cap on and checked the refrigerator to see what was in it. I had a carton of sour cream with a pending expiration date and a few other almost empty containers of yogurt and half and half. I put 'em all together, threw in dark brown sugar and a little booze to keep it all from freezing hard as cement and this ultra creamy, rich, slightly tart but sweet scoop of totally decadent bliss was the result.

The dark brown sugar gives the ice cream a fabulous caramel like flavor and the creamy texture's the other side of perfect, if there is such a thing.

Brown Sugar Sour Cream Ice Cream from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

16 ounces sour cream

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons spiced rum or bourbon

Whip all ingredients together except for the liquor for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours. Remove from refrigerator and stir in rum. Freeze in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s directions for 20 minutes or until the consistency of soft serve. Scoop into a container with a tight fitting lid and freeze until firm. Makes about 1 quart.

In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon until well mixed. Add butter and vanilla and whip until mixture is light and fluffy. Fold in shredded apples. Spread mixture over baked crust and return to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool to room temperature before cutting.

04/10/2014

It's been quite a while since we cracked a package of pasta in this house because in case you haven't noticed, we've been trying to limit our carbs. It seems the older you get the more those little beauties tend to pass the lips and head straight for the hips - at least that's the way it is for me; however, I can deal with only so much deprivation before my good intentions hit the dust.

Imagine fettucine with luscious pink salmon tossed with crispy green asparagus in a creamy rich sauce touched with dill and nutmeg. Are you salivating yet?

The bonus with this recipe is that it takes longer for the pasta water to boil than it takes to cook the entire dish which makes it perfect for a week night dinner. Throw in a salad and some lemon puddings for dessert and you'll have covered all the bases. Just so you know, while I used salmon fillets from our freezer slathered in a touch of Dijon mustard and a drizzle of honey then broiled for a mere 8 minutes, feel free to used canned salmon or even lox if you wish. It'll taste fantastic no matter what.

Boil water for pasta & salt liberally. Cook fettuccine as per package directions. Add asparagus to pasta during last minute of cooking. Drain well, reserving half cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onion and cook until softened – about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in half and half, cream cheese, salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture simmers and thickens. Stir in cooked pasta and add pasta water to make a creamy consistency. Add dill and parsley then turn pasta into a serving bowl. Top with flaked salmon. Serve with parmesan cheese if you wish. Makes 4 servings.

04/09/2014

Some people say there's nothing new under the sun but I beg to differ. I mean the brussels sprouts of today aren't anything like the old over cooked boiled slimy grey bundles of bitterness they used to be. Point in fact, take the sprouts pictured here.

Trimmed, slathered in herbed up olive oil and roasted along with slivers of garlic and lardons of bacon, as soon as the nutty balls of flavor leave the oven, they're sprinkled with crumbles of gorgonzola cheese. Covered and left to their own devices for a few minutes so the cheese can melt, they look divine and taste amazing beside our steak tips in mushroom brown gravy.

I would caution you to use a milder softer blue like gorgonzola or even Cambazola or Saga blue will be great just so the nutty flavor of the sprout comes through. Leave the stronger flavored roquefort or stilton for the cheese tray on another day. Just sayin'.

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and spread bacon pieces evenly. Bake for 5 minutes. Meanwhile toss sprouts with olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Remove pan from oven and move bacon into center of pan. Spread sprouts mixture evenly onto pan. Return to the oven and bake 20 minutes or until sprouts are cooked to your preference. (We like ours a little firm). Remove from oven and move sprouts to the center of the pan. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and cover with a lid or piece of foil. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until cheese has melted. Toss and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

04/08/2014

Have you ever looked at what's written on the side of cereal packages to see what's in the stuff? Well I did and believe me a recent 5 minute gander at our local market had me running for the oatmeal. I mean honestly a list of unpronouncable words can't be a sign of a good thing can they?

A little internet research came up with this recipe adapted from Alton Brown at Food Network and I have to admit, it is darned tasty too. Definitely less sweet than most store bought granolas, I took the liberty of exchanging cashews for sunflower seeds and ramped up the almonds a tad too. I also left out the raisins because granola stays crunchy longer when stored in a jar sans the dried fruit never mind we can now add our choice of dried strawberries, dates, apricots, raisins, cranberries or the like to each serving rather than being stuck with just one choice.

As you can see, the granola also made a pretty as a picture parfait layered in a glass along with plain low fat yogurt and frozen assorted berries too. Who said breakfast has to be boring anyway.

Preheat oven to 250. Line 2 sheet pans with silicone mats or spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix together brown sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil and salt and stir until well combined. Add oatmeal, almonds, sunflower seeds and coconut and toss well to mix. Divide mixture onto two sheet pans and spread out evenly. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes until mixture is golden in color. Cool completely and store in airtight container. Serve with dried fruit of your choice.

04/03/2014

Do you know what you get when you cross a Chinese egg roll and a Mexican chicken enchilada? Why, Pollo Rolls of course. Crispy deep fried torpedos of creamy cheesey chicken enchilada bliss.

I had a package of egg roll wrappers in the freezer torturing me with their presence and since I had leftovers from a roasted chicken over the weekend, I figured I'd come up with something a little different for a change. Imagination's a wonderful thing and honestly, it's kind of hard to go wrong with anything wrapped up and deep fried, don't ya' think? The only problem with my vision was I didn't know what to call the darned things until Big Guy came up with a name.

Simply the makings for chicken enchiladas, the filling mixes a slurry of onion, cilantro, garlic and a touch of salsa verde with shredded chicken, topped with a thin slice of cream cheese and a load of grated jack cheese mixed with mozzarella. Rolled in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried, we had our Pollo Rolls garnished with extra salsa and a dollop of guacamole along side a few other crunchies and called it dinner but it's party food too. No doubt.

Incidentally, the jack cheese isn't just any old jack but Cougar Crimson Fire from the Creamery at Washington State University. Get on the internet and order yourself some because trust me, it is amazing! Their aged cheddar is incredible too - oh and the peppercorn...and the sweet basil...and ah heck, just go for it all. Get 'em all. You won't be disappointed.

In the bowl of a food processor add onion cilantro, garlic, salsa verde, lime juice, green chile or jalapeno. Process until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and fold in chicken. Mix well and set aside. Slice cream cheese into 12 thin pieces. Set aside.

Brush the edges of the eggroll wrapper with egg wash. Place approximately a quarter cup of chicken filling diagonally across one corner of the wrapper. Top with a slice of cream cheese and a few tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll wrappers, enclosing filling completely. Place onto a sheet pan that has been dusted with cornstarch.

Meanwhile approximately 2 inches of oil in a deep heavy pot until oil reaches 350 on thermometer. Fry eggrolls 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown –4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined rack. Serve rolls with salsa, and guacamole. Makes 1 dozen.

04/01/2014

Now please don't wrinkle up your nose at the use of buttermilk before you hear me out, OK? I'm here to say buttermilk's good for a lot more than just soaking chicken before frying it or pouring into corn bread or chocolate cake batter.

Inspired by a repeat of the roasted strawberry sherbet we made way back in September only as a cherry version because I ran out of frozen strawberries (sorry no pictures because we were too busy eating) had me thinking of something to make with the rest of the quart of dairy goodness left in the refrigerator. Seeing as oranges are practically a dime a dozen, I figured I'd whip up a batch of creamsicle flavored sherbet just because there's nothing better than fresh citrus to perk up a winter weary palate.

I adapted a recipe from Alton Brown (here), added a splash of peach schnapps because the alcohol keeps it all from freezing cement hard and switched out the whole milk for buttermilk. Hey at 99 calories a cup and 3 percent fat instead of whole milk's 146 with 8 grams of fat, it's kind of a no brainer but the real bonus is the flavor! Its wonderful tartness was right on the money.

While the roasted strawberry sherbet is my personal favorite, the texture and pronounced orange flavor of this one's definitely pleasing and we enjoyed it very much; however, it is much sweeter than it could be so next time I'll cut down on the sugar a tad (5 ounces instead of 7) and maybe add a little sour cream to the mix for added richness. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out. Oh and by the way, spend the time to make sure the sugar's dissolved well before it hits the ice cream maker or you'll end up with a grainy mouth feel and who the heck wants that, right?

Using an immersion blender, combine all ingredients except buttermilk until sugar is dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large container with a tight fitting lid and stir in buttermilk. Mix well, then cover and refrigerate until very cold. Process in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s directions until mixture is the consistency of soft service ice cream, then freeze until firm – about 3 hours. Makes 1 quart. (Note - the addition of liquor will keep the sherbet from freezing rock hard and make serving easier but feel free to leave it out and substitute a teaspoon of vanilla instead).

03/29/2014

Big Guy braved the wind and torrential rain yesterday to do his volunteer gig as a "rover" at Cape Perpetua so I figured the least I could do was to come up with something I knew he'd love for dinner. There's no doubt beef short ribs are definitely a manly kind of meal and cooked in beer...well, need I say more?

This particular version is adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com but a semi-empty refrigerator and pantry meant a few changes were in order. No matter though because its hard to go wrong with well browned beef flavored with curry, cumin, paprika and lots of garlic and braised in glorious chocolatey Obsidian Stout from Oregon's own Deschutes Brewery.

A pillowy roll to sop up the juices and a side of crunchy coleslaw were all this one needed to hit the top of Big Guy's new favorites list. Course he's pretty easy to please after a day hiking the trails. Just sayin'.

Preheat oven to 350. In a large Dutch oven heat oil until shimmering. Coat short ribs with flour and shake off excess. Brown in batches on all sides in hot oil, removing to a bowl when done. Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from pot. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened, stirring often. Add bay leaf and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add brown sugar, paprika, curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper and mustard – stirring well to combine. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Then return short ribs to the pot along with tomatoes, beer and enough broth to cover ribs. Heat to boiling, then cover and place pot into preheated oven. Braise for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is falling off the bones. Skim extra fat from pot before serving. Serves 4.

03/23/2014

Spring is in the air. The bees are buzzing; hummingbirds dive bombing almost everything in sight; there's robins taking a chunk out of our wormy lawn and teeny tiny buds on the roses but it is still soup weather here on the Oregon Coast. Thank goodness because I have a feeling we'll be having this one again in record time.

Should you be craving the taste of stuffed peppers but lacking the inclination to fuss with the darned things, this soup will soothe the savage hunger beast - no doubt. Loaded with onions, garlic, lean ground beef and of course, peppers, the addition of allspice is the real surprise to the old taste buds. Oh and fresh basil makes it extraordinary.

We can thank Rachael Ray for this one but of course I made a few JBug changes just because I'm ornery like that. I decreased the tomatoes to a 14 ounce can of diced, added a glurg (is that a word) of tomato paste and decreased the amount of orzo in the mix because I wanted to cut a few carbs and make it more of a soup than a stew. Regardless, it is fabulous and well worth whipping up at a moment's notice.

Spray a medium pot with cooking spray and heat over medium high. When hot crumble in ground beef and cook stirring constantly until beef is no longer pink. Add garlic, onions and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Add bay leaf, all spice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir well to incorporate spices, lower heat to medium low and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are soft. Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil and stir in orzo. Reduce to low and cook until pasta is al dente – about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove pot from heat and stir in basil. Serve garnished with shaved parmesan. Serves 4.

03/17/2014

We love meatballs around here. We're rather fond of Asian flavors as well and pork is on our favorites list too so last night we put 'em all together and came up with a real winner.

Big Guy whipped up the pork meatballs using a recipe adapted from Cooking Light although maybe I should say inspired by because he juiced up the spices by adding more ginger and garlic along with red pepper flakes for a little added bite.

While he was in charge of the meatballs, I made a simple peanut dressing and opened up a bag of Dole's Asian Blend Chopped Salad ...hey we saw it in the grocery store and absolutely HAD to try it. I gave the greens a little extra somethin' somethin' by adding slivers of sweet onion, drained canned water chestnuts and another handful of snap peas to a salad already loaded with some of those sweet crunchy beauties along with red and green cabbage, broccoli slaw, kale and carrots.

It was amazing! Moist tender gingery meatballs garnished with a little sweet chile sauce on top of a crisp bed of good for you green stuff dressed with peanutty sauce...well, talk about a perfect no fuss Sunday night dinner! Darned fine teamwork too, huh!

Combine all ingredients together. Form into 1-1/2 inch balls. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a sauté pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high. When hot, add meatballs and brown on all sides. When browned, place in oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through. Serve on salad or with peanut dressing on the side for dipping.

Peanut Dressing:

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup hot water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon sriraccha (or to taste)

Combine ingredients together in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

03/14/2014

I've been working this week and Big Guy's been doing all the cooking so I haven't had anything to personally crow about until last night's effort. He's too modest to blog about his cooking so I'll just tell you we chowed down on chicken paillards with cranberry sauce on a bed of slaw, witches' brew aka hamburger soup, chicken breasts stuffed with spinach souffle, and bacon and blue burger patties on a wedge salad. All good...you bet'cha.

Now on to last night's dinner. You're likely thinking two salmon recipes in a row...what is she doing? There's no such thing as too much of a good thing is there and believe me, last night's salmon stuffed with iddy biddy bay shrimp and brie cheese is a darned good thing.

Inspired by a recipe from Oregon's McCormick & Schmick Seafood Restaurants, I adjusted it somewhat because after all there's just the two of us never mind Big Guy and I are still participating in the "push-away" diet so I nixed the crab, cut back on the brie, left out the mayo because the cheese was extra creamy, exchanged dried tarragon for fresh dill and cut way back on the butter in the sauce. Hey, it all worked out just fine, tasted divine and made us feel like royalty but if you must, hit the link and check out the original recipe.

Other than making our salmon fillet unbelievably moist and oh so yummy, the real kicker to this one is the sauce - a fabulous Beurre Blanc silky smooth on the tongue and loaded with flavor (and calories). See you can still indulge without a guilty conscience as long as you limit the quantitites at least that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Life's too short and I'm far too old for total deprivation.

Next time you're entertaining or just want something special to serve for dinner, put this one on top of your list. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

In a small saucepan combine white wine, vinegar, peppercorns and shallots. Cook over medium heat until liquid has reduced to 1 tablespoon (watch carefully). Add cream and reduce sauce until mixture is thick and there’s approximately 2 tablespoons left in the pot. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, a cube at a time until butter has melted and sauce is emulsified. Put sauce through a strainer into a heat proof cup and keep warm in a hot water bath until ready to serve.

Stuffed Salmon:

2 – 5 ounce pieces salmon fillets

4 ounces bay shrimp

1-1/2 ounces triple cream brie, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt and course ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Check salmon fillets for bones, removing as necessary. Cut a horizontal pocket into each fillet. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine bay shrimp, cheese, tarragon, salt and pepper. If mixture seems dry, add 1 tablespoon buerre blanc and mix well. Split stuffing into 2 parts and stuff each fillet - mounding stuffing on the side. Place fillets skin side down on a baking pan and bake for 12 – 13 minutes. Place salmon onto a plate and spoon sauce over fish. Makes 2 servings.

03/09/2014

Big Guy cooked dinner last night and it was wonderful. Actually he cooked breakfast and packed my lunch too. We had a bit of a role reversal as I headed to work while he stayed home with the fur kids. Spoiled me rotten, he did.

He whipped up a crunchy kale and brussels sprout salad dressed up beautifully with toasted nuts and grated parmesan in a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. In fact he mixed the shredded sprouts and crunchy kale with the dressing in advance so they had a chance to marinate and soften before the nuts and cheese hit the party.

Best of all, he topped the salad with lovely broiled King salmon, glazed in a balsamic, maple syrup, Dijon and garlic concoction that kept the salmon moist and upped the flavor quotient a bunch. It was a blast watching him navigate the kitchen and cook such a fabulous dinner for his very lucky lady. He's a keeper, isn't he?

Combine sprouts and kale in a large bowl. Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a container with a tight fitting lid (jar) and shake to combine well. Toss with sprouts and kale, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving add parmesan cheese and nuts and toss to combine. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Salmon:

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

2 – 6 ounce pieces salmon fillet

Salt & course ground black pepper

In a small pot combine vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often for 10 minutes or until mixture is reduced to a glaze consistency.

Preheat broiler. Place salmon skin side down on a broiler pan. Season with salt and pepper then brush with glaze. Broil for 10 minutes or until salmon is cooked through, brushing with glaze every few minutes. Serves 2.

03/06/2014

A bottle of Angry Orchard in the refrigerator and a storm raging outside was all the incentive required for last night's dinner. Oh I say that now, but in combination with a return trip to the valley to pick up our Jeep with its repaired transmission on top of an almost sleepless night, we were in need of some good old fashioned down home comfort grub.

Chicken thighs browned in bacon drippings and dressed with crisp bacon, shallots, rosemary and braised in hard apple cider make for an amazingly delicious combination. Throw turnip or parsnip into the pot too and you've a dinner that as easy to make as it is good for the soul.

In case you're curious about what's happening around here, if bad luck runs in threes, we're hopeful our run is over because we've certainly had our share. On top of everything else, our little Maxer Dawg woke us up screaming in pain and following an emergency trip into the Veterinarian, x-rays and such, it appears he's got nerve and/or back problems kinda' like his Momma. Nothing like keeping it all in the family. Anyway drugged out and still suffering, thankfully he appears to be improving although much too slowly in our opinion. There's nothing so terrifying as seeing your trusty feisty 11 year old furry best friend in pain is there?

One thing I'd like to know is what the heck is this growing old gracefully nonsense anyway?

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon slices and cook until almost crisp. Remove from pan and cut into pieces. Set aside. Add oil to Dutch oven and heat. Season chicken well with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides and remove from pan when done. Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan. Return chicken to the pot along with shallots, cider and rosemary. Arrange turnip wedges on top. Place into preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked and turnip tender. Makes 6 servings.

03/01/2014

In case you haven't noticed we've been MIA for a few days. What was supposed to be a quick overnight trip into the big city turned into a longer one when the transmission on our Jeep decided to go south so here I am about to tell you all about our pre trip gumbo almost a week overdue. Darned good timing in my estimation because after all it is Mardi Gras.

Gumbo's one of our favorites around here because after the roux's made (in this case the quick version) and you've a base of onion, celery and peppers in place, the sky's almost the limit as far as what you put into it.

As you can see, this version's loaded with slices of spicy andouille sausage along with a pound of leftover roast chicken, but we've made it before using pieces of chicken breast, or chunks of linguica sausage, or crawfish, or shrimp, or duck legs and thighs or whatever turns your fancy.

We happen to like the Creole version which means it contains tomatoes but if you'd rather not, leave 'em out and lay claim to a Cajun style gumbo. Whatever you decide, it is bound to be delicious as long as you remember that a roux waits for nobody so be sure to get all your ducks in a row before you start cookin'.

Prep all ingredients before you start. Heat oil in heavy cast iron Dutch oven over high heat until almost smoking. Add flour, lower heat to medium high and stir being careful not to splash, cook stirring constantly until dark reddish brown in color (takes 4 to 6 minutes stirring constantly). Do not under any circumstances leave the pot unattended.

When the roux is a rich reddish chocolate brown, immediately add chopped celery, onion and bell peppers and stir well to combine. Lower heat to medium and cook until vegetables are softened – about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook for additional minute. Add stock and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In saute pan on medium high heat, fry andouille slices until browned on both sides. Add to gumbo along with cooked chicken and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with rice. Makes 6 large servings.

02/22/2014

If you visit here often, you'll know we don't do sandwiches for dinner regularly at least in my opinion not regularly enough. I'd have another one like this in a heartbeat.

Remember the salmon we whipped up a while ago slathered with Whiskey BBQ Sauce? Well it was so tasty, I just had to do it again. Flaked and served on a crunchy outside, soft and chewy inside Ciabatta roll slathered in mayo, we topped our whiskey BBQ flavored salmon with a mound of mashed avocado, slivers of sweet onion, and a slices of crispy bacon. Lookin' pretty good, huh?

Add some sweet juicy slices of fresh tomato and a little pesto and you'll have a repeat of this salmon club sandwich we had a long time ago. Of course perfectly beautiful ripe and wonderful tomatoes never mind fresh from the garden basil are a little hard to come by this time of year, but we can all dream, can't we. I'll be putting it on my list for a repeat in July. Just sayin'.

02/20/2014

I've been on a bit of a biscuit kick lately and trying out new to me biscuit recipes like this one from Cooking Light using buttermilk and honey and a fancy way of folding the dough like you would for making puff pastry. I have to admit they were great with the sausage gravy we called breakfast the other day, although I forgot to take pictures so there's no proof of the heights to which they soared; however, you'll just have to take my word for it and try them yourself.

Anyway, of all the recipes I've tried I keep coming back to the one in my treasured Purity Cookbook, a Canadian cookbook first published way back in 1917 by Western Canada Flour Mills and reprinted over and over. The book was the source of last night's Beef Roll.

A great way to stretch a pound of ground, the meat's all spiced up and spread out on a sheet of biscuit dough, then rolled up like a jelly roll and baked. Sliced and served with sherry flavored mushroom gravy, it is old fashioned budget cooking at its best.

Not only is it wonderful hot on a gravy slathered plate, but leftovers are pretty great cold for lunch along with a little mustard for dipping and a tossed salad. It had Big Guy asking me why I hadn't made it before and to be honest, I'm wondering the same thing myself.

Preheat oven to 425. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, dry mustard and salt together. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture has fine crumbs. Make a well in center and add milk. Toss together lightly with a fork to make a soft dough. Transfer dough to a lightly flour board and knead gently 8 to 10 times. Roll dough to a 10 x 12 rectangle. Spread meat filling on top of dough to within a half inch from the edges. Roll up like a jelly roll, starting from the long edge. Seal edge and place on greased baking sheet, seam side down. Tuck ends under. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Slice and serve with Mushroom Gravy.

Mushroom Gravy:

3 tablespoons butter

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons flour

1 can beef consommé (or French onion soup)

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Course ground black pepper

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms start to brown. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add consommé; bring to a boil stirring constantly, then cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sherry and cook for additional 30 seconds. Season with pepper as needed. Makes 6 servings.

02/19/2014

I can't take credit for the title because you know who came up with it, but I will take credit for the pot of soup. Is there anything better when the rain and wind are blowing sideways than a big bowl of the stuff?

This one's a combination of chicken and turkey along with the usual onions and carrots. I had every intention of adding parsnip to the mix but decided to follow the "kiss" rule instead. Sorry, it doesn't look pretty but it sure did taste good.

Should you be searching for a "fowl" soup that's a little different from the usual veggie/rice version, you could always try one of the following. They're all really something to crow about.

02/17/2014

I recently roasted another chicken just like the one we had a month ago a la Ina with lots of lemon and onion sauce served on croutons. Hey when you find a fabulous recipe you just have to keep going back to it. Right?

Not only do we love the flavors of this perfect bird, we also love coming up with new ideas on what to do with the leftovers. There's nothing quite like roast chicken in the freezer for enchiladas, chicken salad or a pot pie. Last night the leftover cluck morphed into a great casserole.

Chicken Tetrazzini's been around in one form or another for over a hundred years and while this casserole can be made with darned near anything, even seafood or canned tuna, my personal favorite happens to be leftover chicken or turkey. There's nothing fancy about it including but not limited to the cream of chicken soup, but it is ramped up a bit with a fair bit of dry sherry although dry marsala would work just as well. It's a great way to make a bit of chicken stretch to feed your hungry masses and portions freeze exceptionally well too. That's what I did - put half in the oven in individual ramekins and the rest hit the freezer for a day the kitchen isn't singing its siren song.

Chicken Tetrazzini Adapted from Palm Country Cuisine

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chicken stock

4 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

2 ounce jar chopped pimentos

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 ounces sour cream

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko crumbs mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter

In a nonstick skillet heat olive oil over medium, then add onion, mushrooms, and green pepper. Sauté until onion is soft. Add chicken stock and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about 3 minutes).

In a medium bowl, combine chicken with cooked spaghetti. Add vegetable mixture, peas (if using) pimentos, sherry, chicken soup, and sour cream. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in greased casserole dish and top with parmesan cheese and buttered crumbs. Bake in 350 oven for 35 to 40 minutes until heated through. Serves 4

02/16/2014

There's nothing gourmet about chili dogs but you know who happens to love the darned things so it's reason enough for me to put them on the dinner menu every so often. Chili dogs weren't exactly a popular item where I grew up but they're Big Guy's definition of comfort food ...not finger food.

I don't know much about them, but I do know the chili on a dog is a lot different than any other kind in that it is definitely sweeter, has a different texture and there isn't a bean to be found. What I do know for sure is that I should have handed the apron over to Big Guy a long time ago because he came up with this version.

Obviously from the look of his plate he was more than satisfied with the results of his efforts.

02/12/2014

Remember the beef brisket we cooked a few weeks ago. I sure do because we ate the darned thing for almost a week until I got smart and shoved the remaining 2 pounds into the freezer for future reference. Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining. It fed us well for almost a whole week until I needed a break from beef and believe me, if you're looking at making your budget dollars stretch a mile and a half then here's the way to do it.

Last night's beefy enchiladas took care of the rest and don't they look fine. I took a page from Pioneer Woman for the sauce recipe and ramped up the beef with sauteed onion, minced jalapeno and chile powder and cumin. Grated pepper jack cheese, a half hour or so in the oven and we were on.

It was a pretty decent efffort but to be perfectly honest I goofed up somewhere because they were incredibly salty, no doubt because the brisket had been frozen in what was left of the soy sauce based marinade/gravy never mind that I used consomme instead of low sodium stock in the sauce. My bad so for heaven's sake don't do what I did.

I'm here to say you can substitute leftover beef for ground beef in a lot of instances, but you've got to be careful how the meat was prepared in the first place and make adjustments accordingly. Obviously I won't be including a recipe today so head on over to Pioneer Woman or even Taste of Home for some other great beef enchilada ideas. I'll be doing a little more work on my version before I share it with you.

02/11/2014

Every once in a while I try to slip a meatless meal by my resident carnivore, or as in this case, almost meatless. He complains a lot when I even mention it so I added a couple of slices of bacon to last night's cauliflower soup just to keep him quiet uh ...happy.

We all have our favorite versions of creamy cauliflower soup but in my opinion there's no other thing that adds flavor to the mix in quite the same way as bacon. I crispfied some iddy biddy little cubes to use as a garnish, and kept the drippings to give the onions color and flavor before the cauliflower, potatoes and chicken stock hit the pot. After the veggies cooked and the immersion blender did its thing, the soup was finished with a little sour cream, a few ounces of American cheese and fresh nutmeg. Garnished with the bacon as well as slivers of sun dried tomatoes for color that was it for the soup and if you think I'm in a hurry to get to the point, you'd be right. The stars of the show last night were the cheese buns.

There's a bakery in my old home town of Calgary that I still dream about. Everything's made on site and it's all amazing but Glamorgan Bakery's cheese buns are out of this world. I used to gladly drive half way across the city on a Saturday morning just to buy the darned things but somehow driving 902 miles for a fix doesn't make sense so I did the next best thing. I whipped 'em up myself with a little help from Rhodes although I could have made the dough from scratch. Could've but didn't - hey lazy and easy sound a lot alike, you know.

Melted butter, a mix of medium white cheddar and parmesan cheese, a little time to rise and here they are in all their oeey gooey cheesy glory. I've no clue how close the flavor is to Glamorgan's because it's been darn near 15 years since I've tasted one and not even my memory can serve me that well but believe you me for as little effort as they took, these are stellar.

Ohhh ya baby! Here's the flip side so now you know what I'm talkin' about, right?

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Bacon an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped

2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

Salt and course ground black pepper

1 quart low sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup sour cream

5 slices American cheese

Freshly grated nutmeg

Slivered sun dried tomatoes as garnish

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium low heat until fat renders and bacon is crisp. Remove from pot, leaving drippings. Add butter to pot and when it is melted, add onions. Cook until onions are transparent then sprinkle in flour. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes then add chicken stock, cauliflower and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool slightly, and then using an immersion blender, puree vegetables until smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Add freshly grated nutmeg to taste, then stir in sour cream and cheese, stirring over low heat until cheese has melted and soup is hot. Serve garnished with bacon and sun dried tomatoes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Easy Cheese Buns

Rhodes Frozen Dinner Rolls

2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, melted

Spray a 6 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Mix cheese together and set aside. Using 12 small frozen dough balls from a package of Rhodes dinner rolls, dip each in melted butter and place one in each muffin cup. Sprinkle cheese beside each dough ball and place a second ball of dough in each cup. Pile cheese liberally on top of each cup; place pan on a sheet pan and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Place and a warm spot and let rise for 2 to 3 hours. (I preheat the oven to 170 degrees, turn it off, and then put the pan in the oven and leave the oven light on).

To bake, preheat oven to 375. Remove plastic wrap from top of rolls and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until rolls are puffed and nicely browned

02/10/2014

Not even crazy people like us had the inclination to barbecue yesterday although we could have as it was a beautiful sunny day here on the coast unlike other parts of Oregon that are digging out from 4 days of snow and ice. Anyway, with a surplus of salmon still in the freezer and a selection of whiskey in the booze cupboard, I thought I'd whip up an indoor style barbecue instead of an outdoor one.

I don't know about you but when I think barbecue the sauce is the main focus because I'm just a saucy kind of person. This one claims a cup of the good stuff (I used Canadian Mist because you know who would have had a coronary if I'd used his good bourbon), along with brown sugar, catsup, vinegar, lemon juice and lots of worcestershire and dry mustard. Seasoned with salt and pepper, I simmered it on the stove for a mere 5 minutes just to incorporate the flavors and then let it mellow for a while in the refrigerator.

As for the salmon, I preheated the broiler, dried the outside of a one pound piece of salmon fillet, cut it into narrow pieces, seasoned it with salt and pepper and slathered a few tablespoons of sauce over each. Placed close together but not touching on a pan under the broiler, 10 minutes later we were chowing down.

Served on a bed of lemon risotto, the salmon was tender and bursting with barbecue flavor...and not a hot coal or gas barbecue in sight. Good for us, huh. When you get a chance, give this sauce a try on almost anything, but it'll be perfect with pork ribs or chops, or on chicken too.

02/09/2014

A winter storm and a man's idea of comfort food were the reasons for last night's feast of chicken stew with dumplings. Seeing his satisfaction and hearing the groans kinda' got me thinking about the several different kinds of dumplings we've created in JBug's Kitchen that have made dishes sing and Big Guy whistle.

Last night's chicken stew was a pretty basic combination of skinless, boneless chicken thighs, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and parsnip in a rich sherry flavored gravy and quite honestly it beat the heck out of the old fashioned kind that made use of an onery rooster and limited spices like the ones I remember from childhood. No comparison!

Anyway, I had the foresight to ask Big Guy what kind of dumplings he wanted and his response of "light and fluffy" brought to mind a recipe we've made previously. The trick to light, fluffy dumplings is to use cake flour which is milled from soft wheat with less gluten than all purpose and results in a lighter result...at least that's the theory as long as you don't overmix the dough. Too heavy a hand and you'll end up with hockey pucks no matter what kind of flour you use.

Now, had my resident carnivore asked for sopper uppers with a smooth and light texture, I'd have made dumplings like the basil/pototo version we've had before on a bowl of creamy tomato soup.

Absolutely the lightest softest yummiest potato dumpling I've ever made before, the addition of fresh chopped thyme and parsley instead of basil would have put these simple boiled potato, egg yolk and flour miracles into a league of their own and elevated our stew into the gourmet category, that's assuming chicken and dumplings can be called gourmet.

Of course then again, had I not asked Big Guy his preference I could have just opened a package of prepared gnocchi, boiled 'em up, slathered 'em in butter and parsley and called them dumplings. I mean afterall, I've done it before haven't I.

I didn't but I could have and you could too. Just remember to think about adding dumplings the next time you're whipping up a stew of any kind. Afterall, the body burns more calories in the winter just trying to keep warm so why not give your body a little more fuel and stew a bit more somethin' somethin'.

JBug’s Chicken Stew with Dumplings from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by and adapted from simplyrecipes.com

1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 medium onions, diced

1-1/2 cups diced carrots (1/2 inch dice)

3 stalks celery, cut in half inch pieces

1 large parsnip, peeled, core removed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

6 ounces mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/3 cup medium dry sherry

3 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup

Dumplings:

2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cut chicken thighs in half, season well with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess. Brown in Dutch oven until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove browned chicken from pot to a plate and set aside. Decrease heat to medium and add onion, celery and mushrooms. Cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme and poultry seasoning and flour remaining from dusting chicken prior to browning. Toss to coat vegetables with mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sherry and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Return chicken to pot. Stir in chicken stock and golden mushroom soup. Heat to boiling stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add parsnip and carrots and bring mixture to a high simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, lower heat slightly then add dumplings and continue as per instructions below.

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add parsley and toss together. Using a fork, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add butter and milk. Incorporate dry ingredients into the wet and mix carefully just until combined (barely). Using a small scoop, transfer dumplings to slowly simmering stew allowing space in between dumplings because they’ll expand. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes. DO NOT PEEK. Serve stew in bowls with dumplings on top. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

02/08/2014

We're finally getting some winter here on the Oregon coast with the past 3 days alternating between snow and rain - freezing and otherwise. Perfect in many ways, it's a great excuse to hunker down in the kitchen and cook some comfort food.

Spiced with curry, cayenne, ginger and turmeric and sweetened with dried cranberries and green apple it is far from ordinary. Add a topping of mashed yukon gold potatoes, yams, parsnip and carrots, all seasoned with more fresh ginger and chopped green onions, and it puts the casserole absolutely over the top in the flavor department.

If you like the taste of curry, I guarantee you'll love it and if you're not sure whether you like the taste of curry, don't deprive yourself of the chance to find out. Try it anyway. It is delicious. Just sayin'.

Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium high. Mix together curry powder, cayenne, turmeric, salt and pepper. Add to oil and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add chopped onion, ginger and apple and cook until onion is softened. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Return sauté pan to heat and add ground beef. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess oil and add beef to vegetables in bowl. Stir in lemon juice, cranberries, mango chutney, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and bread crumbs. Toss to combine. Cool slightly. Beat egg well and mix into beef and vegetable mixture. Transfer mixture to a large shallow casserole dish.

Topping:

3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium sweet potato ruby yam, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, peeled and cubed

2 parsnips, peeled, hard core removed and cubed

1/4 cup butter

4 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1/4 cup half and half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine potatoes, sweet potato, carrots and parsnips in a pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer until cooked through – about 15 minutes. Drain well and mash until fairly smooth (slightly chunky is OK). Melt butter in a small sauté pan and cook onions and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes. Add to vegetables along with half and half. Season with salt and pepper and whisk lightly. Place on top of meat in casserole dish and smooth to edges. Bake in preheated 350 oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Serves 4 to 6.

02/06/2014

Here's another do-ahead breakfast that's great to have when you're entertaining because it has to hit the refrigerator overnight. Really just a glorified bread pudding, we've bragged about it before but it's time for a reminder. After all, aren't the best things worth repeating?

Simply half inch slices of french bread soaked overnight in an egg/milk/maple syrup mixture, it's topped in the morning with slices of apple and cinnamon sugar and dabbed with butter before hitting the oven to bake just long enough so you've time to cook sausages, set the table and pour mimosas. Our weekend visitors loved it and I'm sure you will too.

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange the apple slices on top of bread. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of apples. Top with butter. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 40 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup. Makes 6 servings

02/05/2014

We had friends visiting over this past weekend so I'm slightly off the grid as far as posting our "everyday" meals but I do want to share some of our weekend meals with you especially since we'll be enjoying the leftovers over the next few days.

I love a relaxing Sunday morning breakfast with good friends and a quiche like strata with its combination of eggs, bread and cheese is a hostess' dream because it needs to be prepped in advance.

We've lots of strata recipes on this site but what makes this one different is the addition of hash browns. Oh and we mustn't forget the meat. I used bulk pork sausage (Jimmy Dean's Original to be exact), but you could certainly substitute chopped ham or even crispy bacon.

We really enjoyed this casserole, particularly the guys because it really is a "he man" kind of hearty flavor filled dish. My only wish is that I'd made the strata in a cast iron pan rather than a casserole dish because the heat from the cast iron would have given the hash browns more of an opportunity to crisp up; however, I solved the issue this morning by re-warming leftovers in a frying pan to make my "wish" for a crispy crust a reality.

We've Paula Deen to thank for the original, but since I cut down on the butter, eggs, and cheese and adjusted the spices, I've listed my version below.

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole with cooking spray and set aside. Dry thawed hash browns by blotting with a paper towel and spread evenly in bottom of casserole. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add butter and when butter melts, add onion. Sauté until onion is transparent. Sprinkle onion on top of hash browns in casserole dish. Layer bread cubes on top of

Return sauté pan to heat and crumble in sausage. Cook, stirring with a fork until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink. Cool slightly then sprinkle on top of bread cubes in casserole.

To bake – preheat oven to 350. Remove plastic wrap from casserole sprinkle half the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 1 hour. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake additional 10 minutes or until casserole is puffy and a knife placed into center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings.

02/04/2014

There's nothing quite like a cherry berry pie for dessert in the dead of winter, or anytime for that matter. Somehow I just knew I'd appreciate the fruit more now than I did during the hours spent cleaning flats of strawberries and pitting cherries this past summer.

I've made a lot of pies in my lifetime and it is often a crap shoot as to how they'll turn out because so much depends on how juicy the berries are to begin with never mind that I haven't always had the best of luck in the pastry department. Lately I've been using a recipe from Ina Garten which has yet to fail me, enough so that I'm at the point of claiming it as my own (almost). Can I do that without the Ina police coming after me?

Anyway, as for the pie's innards - frozen, direct from the freezer strawberries, sweet cherries and wild blueberries went into this one along with a limited amount of sugar (because we don't like our pies too sweet) mixed with both flour and cornstarch. A few pats of butter and a lot of oven time, a fair bit of patience and here's the result.

Just so you know -

I use a deep dish pie tin with a removable bottom so you may have to adjust the filling quantities you use depending on the size of pie pan you're using;

Should you be making this pie with fresh rather than frozen fruit, you'll need to lower the amount of thickening agents (flour and cornstarch) because frozen berries have more juices than fresh ones

Baking time may vary and because the fruit's frozen, it'll take longer than it will if you're using fresh fruit. About the only way I can tell a pie is really done is by the amount and consistency and color of juices it burps out from under the pastry lid. In my opinion, more burping is better so be sure to put a sheet pan under the pie plate to collect all the drips.

Cherry Berry Pie an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics with pastry recipe from Ina Garten

Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup very cold shortening

1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water

Place flour, salt and sugar in food processor with steel blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add butter and shortening cut into cubes to dry ingredients and pulse processor 10 to 12 times or until butter is the size of peas. With motor running gradually add ice water and pulse until pastry comes together. Place pastry into a large zip bag and form into a flattened disc. Press all the air out of the bag and seal. Refrigerate for a minimum half hour.

Pie Filling:

2 cups frozen blueberries (I used wild berries)

2 cups frozen whole strawberries (heaping cups)

2 cups frozen pitted sweet cherries (heaping cups)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Add berries and fold together to dust frozen berries with dry ingredients.

To make pie – Preheat oven to 450. Divide pastry disc in half and roll out on a well floured board. Line bottom of pie tin leaving a 1 inch overhang. Fill with fruit pouring excess dry ingredients into center of pie. Dot with butter. Roll out top crust and arrange over fruit filling. Seal edges and flute. Decorate as you wish and cut slashes in top crust to allow steam to escape. Place pie tin on a flat baking sheet to catch any drips and bake pie for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 60 to 90 minutes or until juices escape top of pie and run clear. Cool on a wire rack.

02/02/2014

What do you do when you've been eating mostly beef for nigh on a week and you're in dire need of a change? Why, bring on the duck of course!

We happen to love our duck around here, particularly thighs and legs because they have so much more flavor. A trip to the valley (Corvallis) a while ago and a search of "Market of Choice" yielded a supply of duck appendages for our freezer.

I have a favorite way of cooking them for a crispy skin and moist and tender meat and absolutely love saucing 'em up with fruit but I was out of dried sour cherries, didn't have any figs nor pears either so I did some Internet browsing for a solution and found this recipe to adapt.

Apricots won the draw and darned well too in a sweet sour sauce made from apricot preserves, rice vinegar and fresh thyme. A quick flash in a hot pan to brown and the duck was ready for a slow braise in Marsala wine and chicken stock on a bed of onion, garlic, carrots and celery.

Slathered in sauce and garnished with plump dried apricots, the result was everything it should have been and oh so much more.

Preheat oven to 350. Season duck legs with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high. Add duck legs and cook, skin side down until well browned. Flip over and cook other side for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from plate and set aside.

Drain all fat off pan and set aside for a moment to cool slightly. Carefully add marsala wine and cook until wine is reduced by half. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and thyme to the pan. Place browned duck on top; add chicken stock and roast, uncovered for 1-1/2 to 2 hours until duck is very tender. Check liquid level during last half of cooking time and add more stock as required. Add apricots during last half hour of cooking. Serve duck with sauce, garnished with apricots. Serves 2 to 4.

Apricot Sauce:

1 cup apricot preserves

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Coarse ground black pepper

Combine preserves, vinegar and water in a small pot and cook over medium heat until simmering. Add thyme leaves and black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

02/01/2014

OK so here's the deal. Sunday we cooked a brisket (we being me) and we've been dining fine on it ever since. Six pounds of beef is an awful lot for 2 people although Big Guy'd beg to differ. I think he would be quite content eating nothing but brisket and potatoes but personally I'm into a little more variety.

Loaded with the usual onions, carrots, celery and potatoes, I added turnip too for something different along with diced tomatoes, beef consomme and stock as well as a smidge of barbecue sauce just because it added a certain "je ne sais quoi". A mere two cups of shredded brisket hit the pot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the soup was another leftover winner dinner. Talk about budget friendly!

I portioned the remaining 2 pounds of leftover beef into zip bags and it hit the freezer for future reference...as in distant future. You see, I'm a little beefed out at the moment but keep that a secret OK? You know who is likely thinking otherwise.

Veggie and Brisket Soup an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small turnip, peeled and cut into cubes

3 Yukon gold potatoes cut into cubes

1 – 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 – 10 ounce can beef consommé

4 cups low sodium beef stock

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

2 cups shredded or cubed cooked brisket or leftover roast beef

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring often until onions are softened. Add turnip, potatoes, tomatoes, consommé, beef stock, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through. Add beef and cook for additional 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

01/31/2014

We're still working on getting through the 6 pound brisket we cooked earlier in the week and with Super Bowl coming up on the weekend, I thought we'd give a manly dish a try in case we want a repeat on Sunday.

I'm warning you - there's not much to this and no recipe either but I'll tell you all what I did. It just so happens I already had the oven going with Dorie's Apple Cake taking up the middle rack, so I shoved 2 rather large Idaho potatoes in there to bake at the same time.

When they'd cooled enough to handle, I split them in half lengthwise and scooped the innards out leaving a quarter inch wall around the peel. Brushed with melted butter, they ended up under the broiler to crisp up a tad while I warmed 2 cups of shredded beef brisket combined with a half cup of barbecue sauce.

Loaded into the crispy potato skins and garnished with shredded cheese, they hit the broiler until the cheese melted and that was that. Garnished with sour cream and french fried onions courtesy of French's with a tossed salad on the side, we called it dinner. Good enough for a Super Bowl munchie? You betcha'!

Oh, in case you're wondering, here's what the Apple Cake looked like, although to be honest it's an apple/pear version and I used bourbon instead of rum. Kinda' makes ya' want to whip one right up, huh.

01/28/2014

We're gearing up for Super Bowl around here as I'm certain most of you are and I'm trying out some new ideas for munchies. Last night's version of Philly Cheese Steak Eggrolls are a sure man pleaser never mind they made use of some of the leftover brisket from the other night.

Eggroll wrappers filled with all the usual cheese steak fixin's including sauteed onions, peppers and mushrooms along with leftover beef are guaranteed to fill any hungry beasts attending your party. Just don't do what we did and forget the cheese - ya I know. Thankfully we caught the omission before the rolls hit the pan so our eggrolls ended up being double wrapped. Oh well - the extra layer of wrapper just made them extra good anyway. The important thing is to make sure your filling isn't too wet or your eggrolls will be soggy.

We served our beefy rolls along with our favorite condiment - Kicky Kumquat Marmalade as well as a side of barbecue sauce but honestly a horseradish mayonnaise would be rather delectable too. Trouble is we were out of horseradish but that didn't stop us. Not one bit.

Here's the link to our first venture into eggroll heaven and a pulled pork and coleslaw version but I'm convinced darned near anything in an eggroll wrapper would make you "sit up and be happy" as Big Guy said.

Imagine ham and swiss, or Reuben sandwich fixings or buffalo chicken with blue cheese or taco flavored ground beef with lots of cheese or even cherry pie filling...heck, now I'm speaking my language.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan and add onion, peppers and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring often until onions are softened and slightly golden. Add meat and cook for 30 seconds just to break apart and warm slightly. Place mixture into a colander to drain excess liquid and cool to room temperature.

Brush the edges of the eggroll wrapper with egg wash. Place slice of cheese on wrapper and arrange about 1/4 cup of filling diagonally across one corner. Roll wrappers, enclosing filling completely. Place onto a sheet pan that has been dusted with cornstarch.

Meanwhile approximately 2 inches of oil in a deep heavy pot until oil reaches 350 on thermometer. Fry eggrolls 2 or 3 at a time until golden brown – 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined rack. Serve with barbecue sauce or horseradish mayonnaise.